Wilsonian Progressivism at Home and Abroad

Wilsonian Progressivism at Home and AbroadChapter 29(Part 1 Notes)Thomas Woodrow Wilson

Wilson Nominated for PresidentDemocrats celebrated the Republican splitWilson was chosen as the charismatic Dem. Leader that could defeat the RepublicansThe Political Machine in New Jersey choose him for the Governorship in 1910They had not done their HW Once mild conservative had become a militant progressive in response to the backlash from the elitist wealthy who opposed his reforms at Princeton

Wilson: Road to The White HouseNJ GovernorshipMade NJ one of the more liberal statesUtilized righteous indignation and power of leadership to make changes in interest of the public rather than political bossesWilson was nominated on the Democrats forty-sixth ballotWilliams Jennings's Bryan, once in opposition now supported WilsonWilsons New Freedom programProgressive PlatformStronger anti-trust legislationBanking ReformTariff Reduction

The Bull Moose Campaign of 1912Progressive Party met in Chicago in August 19122000 delegates from 40 states attendedJane Addams nominated Theodore Roosevelt at the ConventionRoosevelt in his acceptance, We stand at Armageddon, and we battle for the Lord!Delegates sang Onward Christian Soldiers and Battle Hymn of the RepublicRoosevelt boasted that he felt as strong as a Bull MooseI want to be a Bull Moose,And with the Bull Moose standWith Antlers on my foreheadAnd a Big Stick in My Hand?Election of 1912Taft branded Roosevelt as a dangerous egotist and demigodRoosevelt branded Taft a fathead with the brain of a guinea pigRoosevelts New Nationalism vs. Wilsons New FreedomBoth wanted social and economic reformsRoosevelt preached theories from Promise of American LifeBoth favored regulating trusts and supporting labor unionsRoosevelt also campaigned for women suffrage, broad social welfare programs including: minimum wage and social insurance

Election of 1912 Cont..Wilsons New FreedomFavored small enterpriseEntrepreneurshipUnregulated and unmonopolized marketsShunned social welfare proposalsFavored regulation but not fragmentation of the big industrial combinesElection offered a choice of policies and political/economic philosophiesRoosevelt suspended campaigning for two weeks when he was shot in the chest, although he still gave the hour long speech with a bullet in his chest.

Woodrow Wilson: A minority PresidentWilson won handily435 electoral votes and 6,296, 547 popular votesMinority president with only 41 percent of the popular voteHis popular vote was actually less than Bryan amassed in any of his three defeatsTaft and Roosevelt polled over 1.25 million more votes than democratsRoosevelt finished second receiving 88 electoral votes and 4,118,571 popular votesTaft won only 8 electoral votes and 3,486,720 popular votesProgressivism rather than Wilson was the winnerMinority Pres. ContAlthough the Democratic total included many conservatives in the solid South, the combined progressive vote for Wilson and Roosevelt exceeded the Tally of the more conservative TaftEugene Debs amassed 900,672 votes more than twice as many netted four years earlierThe progressive party would not last without Roosevelts leadership and they amassed few seats in state and local legislatureThe Socialists elected more than 1000 in state and local seatsRepublican Congressional MinorityUnaccustomed to minority status in the Congress for the next six years.Did not win the White House for 8 years.Taft taught law for eight years at Yale UIn 1921 Taft became chief Justice of the Supreme CourtWhich better suited him than the presidency

Wilson Bio.WilsonSon of Presbyterian minister, raised in Georgia and the CarolinasStudied history at Davidson, despite of mild DyslexiaEarned his law degree at UVA and practiced for two yearsNext earned his PhD in History at John HopkinsBrilliant history professor at PrincetonLectures were standing room onlyPresident of Princeton in 1902Instituted sweeping reforms, to democratize educationPut in place recitations and teaching assistantsEventually the Old Guard at Princeton inhibited further reform

Wilson: The Idealist in PoliticsSecond Democratic president since 1861First man of the formerly seceded southern states to reach the White house since Taylor, 64 years earlierHis philosophy of self determination was party inspired by the confederacys attempt for independenceAdhered to Jeffersonian ideals that people would make logical decisions if properly informed.Skilled oratorPhraseocrat who coined many noble epigramsBelieved the chief executive should play a dynamic roleBelieved in visible leadership of the presidentWilson: The Idealist contThough jovial and witty in private he was often cold and standoffish in publicLoved humanity in the mass rather than the individual personPerhaps the result of several mini-strokes he sufferedFelt more at ease with scholars than politiciansQuick to criticize someones intellectOften found compromise difficultHe would break before he would bendThis character would later effect the US ratification of the Treaty of Versailles and the League of NationsWilson Tackles the TariffAll out assault on the triple wall of privilege: tariff, the banks, and the trustsFirst president to deliver his presidential message to Congress Moved by his aggressive leadership the House quickly passed the Underwood Tariff Act of 1913Substantially reduced import rates by avg. of 25%Under authority of 16th amendment, Congress enacted graduated income taxBegan with modest tax on incomes over $3,000 (higher than the avg. family income)By 1917 rev. from the income tax shot ahead of receipts from tariff

Wilson Battles the BankersMajor DefectReserves were heavily concentrated in NY and other large citiesCould not be easily immobilized to ameliorate a financial crisisEndorsed Democratic Proposals fro a decentralized bank in government hands opposed to Republican demand for a huge private bank with fifteen branches1913 Federal Reserve Act put in placeBoard appointed by president oversaw 12 regional banking districts, each with central bank.Could issue Federal Reserve Notes to quickly add money to circulationFederal Reserve Districts

The President Tames the TrustsFederal Trade Commission Act of 1914Empowered presidentially appointed commission to investigate industries engaged in interstate commerceClayton Anti-Trust Act of 1914Enhanced the Sherman Act Fought price discriminationInvestigated web of directorates, where the same individuals served as directors of supposedly competing businesses)Legalized strikes and peaceful picketingConservative judges would fight back years laterWilsonian Progressivism ReformFederal Farm and Loan Act of 1916Made loans available to farmers at low interest ratesWarehouse Act of 1916 Authorized loans on the security of staple cropsAuthorized federal funds for highway construction and state collegesLafollette Seamans Act of 1915Decent treatment and living wage on American merchant shipsFreight rates spiraled upward with the crews wagesWilsonian Progressive Reform ContWorkers Compensation Act of 1916Provided federal support for injured federal civil employeesAdamson Act established 8 hr day and overtime for railroad employeesNominated Brandeis for supreme court justice in 1916Progressivism did not extend to African Americans who he inhibited from working in his office.

Wilsons 1916 CampaignAppeased business by making conservative appointments to the Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Trade commissionTo win the 1916 election he would have to garner the support of the Bull Moose voters who had previously voted for Roosevelt.Democrats SloganHe kept us out of WarWilson vs. Charles Evan Hughes

1916 Election

Wilsons New Direction in Foreign PolicyRecoiled from aggressive foreign policy in contrast to Roosevelt and TaftDetested TRs Big Stick Policy and the Dollar Diplomacy of TaftDid not support Dollar Diplomacy in Latin America and China (no entangling alliances)American bankers pulled out the six nation loan to ChinaConvinced Congress to repeal the Panama Canal Tolls Act of 1912 American ships now paid tollsJones Act of 1916 provided Philippines territorial status and promised independence when gov. was stablePhilippine independence July 4, 1946Dollar Diplomacy

Wilsons New Direction in Foreign Policy Cont..California legislature was still interested in expelling Japanese from the state.Wilson sent Sec. of State Bryan to CA to ease tensionsBreaks form Isolationist StanceWilson Dispatched Marines to Haiti and Dom. Rep.Haiti (1915) marines stayed for 19 years making Haiti an American protectorateDom Rep. (1916) marines stated or eight yearsPurchased Virgin Islands from Denmark

Moralistic Diplomacy In MexicoMexican Revolution in 1913Revolutionary president Madero was murdered Replaced with General Native American, Victoriano Huerta, who may have been responsible for Maderos murder.Caused a massive migration of over 1 million Mexicans to the US (Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California)

Moralistic Diplomacy in Mexico ContIntervention was supported by JingoistsHearst was an ardent supporter, who owned a Mexican ranch larger than Rhode IslandWilson refused to recognize HuertaAllowed arms to flow to Carranza and o Pancho Villa, Huertas rivalsMexico arrested American sailors at Tampico in April 1914Mexico released soldiers but refused 21 gun salute

Moralistic Diplomacy ContWilson ordered navy to seize Port of Vera Cruz without Congressional approval - ABC stepped in to mediateHuerta stepped down and Carranza stepped nCarranza killed 16 mining engineers in 1916 in Northern MexicoPoncho's men murdered another 19 in MexicoWilson sent General Perishing and troops to intercede - pushed Villa and his men back without capturing VillaWithdrew as threat of War with German loomed in 1917

Mexican Revolution Videohttp://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE52&iPin=WPA0020&SingleRecord=True

Wilsonian Progressivism at Home and AbroadChapter 29Notes Part 2A Precarious NeutralityWilsons grief concerning WWI was magnified when his wife passed awayHe issued a neutrality proclamation and called on Americans to be neutral in thought as well as in deeds.The Central and Allied powers both vied for the support of the United States

Powers Want US SupportBritish (Allied Powers)Close linguistic, economic, and cultural ties with America.Also, controlled most transatlantic cablesPress told of German atrocities and censored any stories harmful to the allies(10 million in US people were of British, Russian, and Italian descent)

Germans and A-Hs (Central Powers)Counted on support of Germanic immigrants in the US11 million people with blood ties to Germanic areasMany immigrants spoke outOther immigrants were content to be distanced from the conflict4 million in US of Irish descent

Allied vs. Central Powers

American SentimentMost Americans were anti-German from the outset.Kaiser Wilhelm II was depicted as an arrogant autocratGermany occupied neutral BelgiumGermanic immigrants had violent incidents in factoriesGerman operative left a briefcase in NY with plans for sabotageSauerkraut was changed to Liberty CabbageKaiser Wilhelm, King George V, and Tsar Nicholas were all distant counsinsHowever, the majority of Americans wanted to remain neutral.

America Earns Blood MoneyBritish and French war orders pull American economy out of the recessionUS Bankers eventually sent large loans to Allied powersJ.P. Morgan and Company loaned the enormous amount of 2.3 billion during American neutralityCentral powers protested bitterlyThrough our support of the British and the result of British mining the North Sea we essentially stopped trading with GermanyGermans engage in submarine warfare around British Isles to stop British BlockadeSaid they would try not to sink neutral shipping, but new warned mistakes would probably occurWilson warned Germany that they would be held accountable for any attacks on American vessels or citizensSubmarine WarfareIn the first months of 1915, they sunk about ninety ships in the war zoneLusitania was sunk off the coast of Ireland on May 7, 19151,198 people died including 128 AmericansCarried 4200 cases of small-arms ammunition, a fact Germans used to justify the sinking.Eastern US was shocked and talked of joining the war, the rest of the country was apt to remain neutral

Wilsons Tenuous NeutralityWilson still wanted to remain neutral and only declare war with full support of Congress and the peopleSecretary of State Bryan resigned in protest of Wilson even thinking about warWilson There is such a thing as a man to proud to fightThis rhetoric incensed the pro-war RooseveltA U-Boat sunk the British ocean-liner the Arabic in August 1915 (2 Americans died)Germany reluctantly agreed to warn unarmed ships before they attacked next timeThis pledge was violated when the Sussex a French passenger ship was torpedoed without warning.Sussex Pledge German once again agree with Wilson not to attack unarmed ships, but the US would have to convince the Allies to modify the blockade of Germanys Northern PortsWilson accepted the pledge without accepting the amendment to convince the British to end their blockadeWilson Wins Reelection in 1916Appeased business by making conservative appointments to the Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Trade commissionTo win the 1916 election he would have to garner the support of the Bull Moose voters who had previously voted for Roosevelt.Democrats SloganHe kept us out of WarProgressives nominated Roosevelt, who loathed Wilsons efforts of neutralityRoosevelt declined the nomination because he did not wish to split the Republican party again

Election of 1916Republican Old Guard chose US Supreme Court Justice Charles Evan Hughes (the former progressive governor of NY)Republican Platform: condemned Democratic tariff, assaults on trust, and Wilsons wishy-washiness in dealing with Mexico and GermanyIn Anti-German area Hughes assailed Wilson for not standing up to the Kaiser, where in isolationist areas he took a softer lineDemocrats warned that be electing Huges they would be electing to fight in the warElection of 1916 ContinuedOn Election Day Hughes swept the East who was more pro-warNY Newspapers displayed pictures of President-Elect HughesHowever, Wilson was able to won the election by garnering votes in Midwestern and western states.Winning California was the key to his victoryWilson - 277 electoral votes, 9,127,695 pop. voteHughes 254 electoral votes, 8,533,507 pop. VoteThe next issue was to see if Wilson could keep the US out of war.

1916 Election